Public Health Welcomes Lower Vehicle Emissions

Public Health
Welcomes Lower Vehicle Emissions and Cleaner Air for the
Auckland Region

The Auckland Regional Public Health
Service (ARPHS) is welcoming recent moves by the Government
to cut vehicle emissions. This will improve air quality so
that Aucklanders can breathe safer and cleaner air.

The
new minimum vehicle emissions standard due to come into
force in January 2008 will cut the rate of pollutants pumped
out by used vehicles.

ARPHS wants better health and
safety for our families, children and communities. This move
towards creating healthier environments comes at a time when
mounting evidence shows that our health is affected by where
we live and work.

“We have growing concerns about
the risk to public health from rising vehicle emissions and
welcome recent moves by the Government to improve air
quality”, says Dr Julia Peters, ARPHS’s professional and
clinical director.

Dr Peters says that, “Children are
particularly vulnerable to the health effects of air
pollution with studies now showing an association between
poor air quality and impaired lung function.”

“It’s
our job to protect public health in the Auckland region, and
an important part of this work is the pre-license health and
safety check we do on Early Childhood Education Centres
(ECECs) and submit to the Ministry of Education. Part of
each check involves assessing the ECEC site and identifying
any potential exposures to harmful pollutants in the
external environment.”

“Concerns about children and
air quality around Early Childhood Education Centres (ECECs)
are emerging as an important issue in the Auckland region.
With the trend towards locating centres away from
residential and into commercial and light industrial areas
children may be being exposed to more emissions from
vehicles and industry, and this needs considered
action.”

For Questions and Answers about the health
impacts of poor air quality and creating safer ECEC
environments for children go to Auckland Regional Public
Health Service’s
website:http://www.arphs.govt.nz/downloads/ECECAirQualityQandA.asp

For
air quality and standards contact The Ministry for the
Environment: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/For ECEC licensing
contact The Ministry of Education:
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/

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